Improvement in diving-bells



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HnrinY c. BI-LLINGS, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 97,862

,dated December 14,1869.

'IMPRVEMENT m zvmef-ann.s.`

The schedule refen-el to'ii these Letters Patent and making part of the e- To all whom t't 'may concern 1 Be it known 'that I, Hnsiw O. *BII-LIINGS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, and State of New .York, have invented a new and valuable Inprove-` mcnt in Diving-Bells; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact, description of tle construction'and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making' a part of this speoification, and to the letters and fignres of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of. the drawings is a representation of my invention, in central Vertical section. p

My invention relates to 1 diving-helle, and consists,

i mainly, in the construction and novel arrangementof devices designed to`serve `eflicient purposes in subnarine explorations. p r

My diving-hell is constructed of the usual form and The external wall iscylindrioal in its lower portion. Above, it takes the form of a truncatetl cone. The interior wall consists of a large cylinder, surnounted by a smaller one. The in-' terior wall is connected to'the outer wall, at the top, V

by a circular plate,`having, in the centre, a nan-lole or eutrance. The two walls are also connected, in the middle, by a diaphragm, L, and at the bottom by an annnlar plate.`` i p p Theletter A of the drawings designates the entrancecharnber, or upper working-compartment.

B, the lower working-chambcr. i l G, a small oylindrical water-chamber in and around the top of the bell, arranged for the purpose of taking up the carbonic-acid gas, generated by the lungs of the workmen inside.` r i D represents an air-chambe', filled witl compressed air through the pipea, connecting the chamber witl an air-pump or reservoir npon the dock or vessel. p p

E designates a water-chainb'er, the object of which is, by increasing or dininishing the quant-ity of water s therein contained, to regulate and assist the ascent or descent of thediving-bell.

F, a water-gaugc, which shows the pressure of water on the surface of the' bcll, as`it sinks or rises, thereby indicating also the number of feet below the surface of the water.

G,'a perfbrated spont, through which the water of 3 i chamber G, by turning the cock g, may be discharged, thereby sprinkling the working-chambe-rs in such a manner as to absorb the carbonic-acid gas therein H, an air-gauge, which indicates the pressure of air on the men in chanbers A and B.

. I, an air-gauge, which gives the pressure of air in the compressed-air chamber D.

-K, a pipe, with cock for letting the air out of water-' chamber E, and thereby allowiug the water to enter through pipe L, when necessary.

M, acock, whereby the foul air from the interior of the bell is allowed to escape through the upper plate.

N, a pipe, with cock, for lett-ing water into chanber G.

P, a bent pipe, with cock, whereby air is forced into chanber G; from air-chamber D, when it is desirel to.

sprinkle the working-compaitments.

R, a pipe, -with stop-cock, whereby the air.from the air-pump or reseryoir on' the dock or vessel i s conducted into the air-Chamber D,- wlen necessary.

S, a bent pipe, with cock, through which, when it is desired to lighten the bell, air is forced into the lower water-chamber E from the conpressed-air chanber D.

T, a stop-cock, whereby an equal pressure of air is Inaintaned between the chainbers A and B. This opening is also arranged to permit the drippings of water from the sprinkler in thetop of chamber A to pass ofi. g

U U represent swinging steps used by the worknen in descending and ascending between the two chambers. These steps can be folded up out of the way when not in actual use. i

V V represent the bags or receivcrs; These are made with iron tops and bottoms, and are arranged to hang upon revolving hinges 1: u, so that when filled or not in use, they can be' turned back out of the way under the ledge c. i

W represents the upper man-holc or entrance, opening into Chamber A. q A

X, the man-hole or opening between chambers A and B. p f

f Y represents a pipe, with cock, whereby, when necessary, the surplus pressure of air in chanbers A and B may be diminished by allowing the superabundant air to pass into chamber D.

Z Z represent slab-weights, each of which is attached to the outside'of the bell by means of a pocket, e, and Secured by means of a bolt' and nut, m, in such'a man'- ner that 'by removing the nut, the slab can be taken oli at will, thereby rendering the bell lighter. A simple arrangement, such as this is designed to be, is often of the utmost importance.

b represent-s a water-pipe, connected with the water- Chamber E, which passes through clambcr B up into chamber A, and is arranged so as to indicate the rise and fall of the water in chamber E, by nieans of a floating ball, n, and arrow. In pursuance of this object, the upper part of the-pipe in chamber A is titted with glass and graduated.

A system of ties, d d, and braces, h h, is arranged completely around the bell, between the outer and inner walls, whereby they are strengthene-d andsecured in position.

k lp represent the bails to whic` the elevating-ropes are attached when the bags are filled and ready to -be hoisted up out of the water.

In order to form an exit for the water in Chamber E, a valvo is usnnlly arranged, near the lower part of this Chamber, and operated by means of a ro l connecteil ihereto, and oxtending diagonally up into eharnher A through the wall thereof.

When the steps U U are toinen up, they are arranged to cat'ch npon the circnlar rail u, whereby they nre supported so that they cannot tonch the wall of the bell. i

It may be here nentioned that when the bags V V are tnrnccl back under the leclge o, they cannot become nnhinged. Y

It will be ohserved that all the nechanisn connected with the internal economy of the bell eomrnunicates with the upper chamber A. The lower charnber B is thereby left free for the operations of the workmen engaged in filling the bags, blasting, exploring, or other work connected n'iththe object of the snhmarine descent.

' What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secnre by Letters Patent, is-

in, as speoified.

In a diving-hell, the combination of the circnlar rail u and the swinging steps U U, when constructecb and arranged to operate as specified.

In testimony that I'clam the above, I have hereunto snbscribed my name, in the presence ot' two witnesses.

' HENRY-O. BILLINGS. Witnesses:

E. W. ANDERSON, D. D KANE. 

